Asylum seeker arrivals slow to trickle

Immigration Minister Scott Morrison says the falling number of asylum seeker arrivals means it is clear “people smugglers are finding it harder and harder to get their ventures together and get them away’’.
Photo: Peter Rae

Indonesia’s ban on co-operation with Australia in combating people smuggling – imposed amid the countries’ phone-tapping row – has so far shown little impact, with asylum seeker arrivals falling to single digits.

The head of Operation Sovereign Borders, Lieutenant-General Angus Campbell, told a weekly press briefing in Sydney that only one boat had arrived in the week to 9am on Friday, with just nine asylum seekers and three crew on board.

General Campbell said there had been only five boats and 207 asylum seekers in November – the lowest result for November for five years.

That contrasts with the month of July, before former prime minister
Kevin Rudd
announced all asylum seekers arriving by boat would be sent to Manus Island or Nauru, when more than 4000 asylum seekers arrived.

Immigration Minister
Scott Morrison
said the falling numbers meant it was clear “people smugglers are finding it harder and harder to get their ventures together and get them away’’.

“These numbers, though, do not constitute success in terms of the government’s benchmark [to stop the boats] but it does represent a very good start,’’ Mr Morrison said.

Related Quotes

Company Profile

But Indonesian Foreign Minister
Marty Natalegawa
said on Thursday a resumption of security co-operation with Australia depended on the negotiation of a spying code of conduct being signed by the country’s leaders.

This process could take some months.

Mr Morrison also played down threats by Indonesia to close detention centres, dismissing it as speculation and saying he would do nothing to jeopardise the relationship.

Meanwhile, Indonesian and Australian intelligence officers have agreed to discuss new spying protocols in the wake of the scandal.

Marciano Norman
, the head of Indonesia’s State Intelligence Agency, BIN, confirmed the talks were needed to re-define bilateral relations.